Operation Shining Star

Operation Shining Star (4-7 May 2006) was a military operation carried out by the US Marine Corps against Iraqi insurgents in the capital city of Baghdad. The Americans and the insurgents engaged in heavy fighting, and the result of the operation was a US victory over the insurgents despite heavy losses on both sides.

History
The US Marine Corps launched a counter-terrorism operation in Baghdad in early May 2006 against the Mujahideen Shura Council, and the Marines were deployed to clear out a large Sunni neighborhood that was home to Saddam Square, a site revered by the insurgents. The operation saw insurgents begin a war of attrition against the Americans, and they made each street into a shooting gallery. Snipers using al-Kadesiah sniper rifles were able to pick off some American soldiers along the main road as well as the gas station area, which became another major battleground in the city. The Americans were on the defensive for most of the battle, and the insurgents emerged victorious, forcing the American offensive to grind to a halt and defeating the MNF-I forces.